A Friend Amongst Enemies
by Joannes808
Summary: In the midst of one of the bloodiest battles in Two soldiers from opposing sides form a very unlikely Containing violent combat
1. Family Honor

Disclaimer I don't own Girls und Panzer

* * *

She looked over her work with satisfaction after working tirelessly over the last several hours.

Her room, once like that of any other girl her age into a blank cell filled with a empty bed frame, several covered pieces of furniture, and a massive pile of crates and boxes in the corner.

After seeing that everything was done, she finally let out a long exhale while wiping off a line of sweat off her forehead. And went over to by the door to pick up a large duffel bag containing everything that she'll need: a black double breasted jacket along with several black trousers and grey collared shirts.

She dusted off the collared shirt and trousers that she had on already after slinging the bag over her shoulder and looked back one more time as a beam of light came thru the room's one window. She spent her entire life in that room. And it was the last time that she'll probably ever be within it's four walls.

Turning her attention to the drawer to her left, she notices two photos on top of it. Looking over the two framed pictures she reminisced over the memories they brought, then placed them into her duffel bag along the clothes she already had in it before finally leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

As she walked through the corridors of the large house she looks at the multiple paintings on the walls depicting past family members in military uniforms stretching back hundreds of years until she at last reached the houses main staircase.

Looking down the stairs she saw two people below, two women with a similar short haircut to her own, one several years younger with lighter hair in the uniform for the local high school, and the other several years older with dark hair and in traditional clothing.

Happy that they were their to see her off, she came down the stairs with a slight uplifting happiness to be able to see them one last time before leaving.

"Maho!" The younger one called out as she saw her come down the steps and came over to her at a fast speed.

"Miho!" She returned as she took her into a tight embrace at the bottom of the staircase after placing her heavy bag down.

"Mistress." The older one greeted with a bow.

"Kikuyo." Maho exchanged in greeting as she let go of Miho and stood up. "Do you know where mother is, I haven't seen her since I started on cleaning my room?"

Kikuyo remained in her straight stance and answered. "I'm sorry I do not know. I have just returned with your sister from Schwarzwald Spitze High School so she can see you before you go, and have not seen her yet. And you do know that preparing your room was MY job?" Adding a bit of irritation in the fact that Maho's mother would be furious finding out the fact that she wasn't there to at least help her.

Maho couldn't help but laugh at that last comment from Kikuyo, the family servant. "I did, but I saw how busy you were lately. And to be honest I prefer to do things myself sometimes thank you."

Kikuyo bowed again "I'm sorry Mistress, It's just that your mother can be a little... irritable at times."

Just as she said that however, the sound of an engine could be heard outside, and a woman came in through the door, she had long black hair, and dressed almost completely in black wearing a black jacket, breeches, and shoes; the only exception being the red armband on her left arm, and the Golden Party Badge on her chest.

"Maho." She called as she came in.

"Mother." Maho greeted back.

"Madam." Kikuyo greeted as well as she bowed once again to the head of the household.

"Yes, there was an urgent call from the Administration office, but I was able to get everything in line." She then turned her attention towards Maho. "You're doing a great service to your country, along with bringing honor to your family heritage. Well done."

"Yes, thank you mother." She acknowledged, her personality changing from her cheerful self a few moments ago, into being void of all emotion.

Her mother was a prominent member of the political leadership corps, and along with several other duties that she had, she led the local efforts for collecting of raw materials for the war effort, she was part of the Schwarzwald Spitze High School administration board, the head of the Bund Deutscher Mädel branch in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, and a major collaborator for the areas propaganda campaigns.

"Speaking of which, I had this order for you. It came in a few days ago, but I decided to hold on to it till now." Her mother then approached a locked cabinet, bringing out a black belt with a holster. She then walked over to Maho and presented it to her.

After reaching for it, Maho opened the holster, and pulled out a Walther P38 overlooking it for a short while.

"You'll probably never truly need it as you'll be well protected, but you can never be too careful. Her mother added.

"Thank you mother." She replied as she placed the gun back into it's holster, and secured the belt under her jacket.

"Kikuyo." Shiho called.

"Yes Madam?" The family servant asked.

"Take the Maho's bag to the cab in the front. I told the driver to wait after dropping me off." She requested.

"Yes Madam." Kikuyo answered before going to pick up Maho's bag.

"Maho will you come out with me?" Her mother asked.

"Yes mother." She replied.

As they walked out of the door her mother said to her. "You know how hard it was for me to get you in this right?"

"Yes mother I do." She answered, she honestly didn't want to get involved in the war or the Party after losing so much to it. But as being a member of a prominent military family without any male member capable of going into uniform, she was their best option to send instead.

"Of course, it would have been a lot easier if your father had a son." She continued.

"I know."

Her mother then turned and faced her. "You must also know, that since you are a woman, your instructors, your COs, and your comrades will always be pushing you to your limits, and find any reason to have you dismissed from the front. As far as it is recorded, our family has not missed a single conflict involving the fatherland; and I'll be damned if the only one that we do miss will be the greatest one in it's entire history. Do you understand that?" Her eyes now fixed hard on her.

"I understand." Maho responded.

"Good. Now the cab will take you to Freiburg Central Station. From there you'll take the 18:00 train to Munich where you'll be picked up at the station, and taken to the training center near the outskirts."

"Yes mother."

Her mother pulls out her pocket watch to check the time. "17:15, well it looks like you have a few minutes before you have to..."

Just as her mother was saying that, the phone in the house began to ring loudly.

"Kikuyo, can you get that for me." Her mother asked.

"Yes Madam." Kikuyo answered, and headed off to answer the phone.

After several moments of awkward silence, she returned.

"Madam, it's for you."

"Can you tell them to hold a few minutes?" Her mother asked.

"No. Its Gauleiter Wagner, he says it's important." Kikuyo replied

Maho's mother then let out a sigh of frustration, then headed to the phone. "I'll be right back."

With her mother entering the house, Maho finally felt a massive weight fly off her chest. She then noticed that something was wrong.

"Miho, are you ok?" She noticed that other than her greeting as she went down the stairs, she didn't say anything, and she noticed that something was really troubling her.

Miho slowly looked up at her sister with slightly watering eyes. "It's...It's just that...I don't want to loose you like father."

Maho seeing her distress kneeled down in front of her, placing her hand on her shoulder. "I promise Miho, I'll watch out. They say the wars coming to an end soon. If I'm lucky it'll be over before I even leave the academy."

"But Father said that he'll come back as well when he left." Miho added still on the verge of crying out.

"Father tried his best to keep his word, but it was just that he couldn't. He never wanted to break his word." Maho reassured as she looked into her younger sister's eyes, seeing them lighten up as she comforted her. "Better?"

"I'm better." She answered placing on a smile as she did.

"Maho?" She then asked

"Yes Miho?"

"Can you take something for me?"

Maho wasn't sure at first, but then decided that it would help Miho to cope with her leaving.

"Yes Miho, I'll take it if you want me to."

"Great!" Miho yelled with joy. "Wait here, I'll be right back." She said to her as she ran into the house.

Maho watched her as she disappeared behind the front door before she turned to Kikuyo.

"Kikuyo?" She wanted to ask something out of Kikuyo, but before she could Kikuyo had to say something herself.

"Mistress I beg your pardon, but I just can't stand by and watch as you go out and put yourself into such danger as the battle. I watched you father do it, and I regretted it ever since." "Your mother gave you a open choice in the matter, and yet you chose to go, why?" She finished out of breath.

Maho was taken aback by her sudden outburst. But she knew her reasoning. "The reason why I chose to go was even though I had a choice, if I was to refuse I knew Miho would not have one herself when it was her turn to reach the age for military service. And that is why

I want you to keep an eye on her."

"What?" Now it was Kikuyo's turn to be taken aback.

"You're the one person other than Miho that I can truly trust. I want you to be by Miho's side as you have been by mine, and if it comes to it, I want you do everything in your abilities t keep her out of this war."

"I will do everything I can to keep her safe Mistress, I promise." Kikuyo promised.

Just as they finished their conversation, Miho came running right back out of the door towards her older sister. "Maho, I want you to take this with you."

Maho looked at what her little sister gave her. It was a stuffed bear with bandages on its left arm and head. Maho honestly didn't know what she saw in them, and had no idea why she actively collected them for a pass time to the point where her room was full of them.

"Miho...I can't take this from you, I'll most likely ruin it, and you know what mother said, they'll rip me apart with this."

"Please Maho." Miho pleaded.

Maho then let out a sigh of defeat, she knew she had to take it for Miho's sake, to sort of comfort her while she was away.

"Okay, I'll take it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"YAY! Thank you Maho, Thank you!" She yelled out in joy as she hugged her sister so hard that it nearly choked her.

"What's going on out here." Maho's mother asked as she came back out the door with a sort of angry expression on her face.

Maho immediately asked her sister to let her go, and hid the bear behind her back, slipping it into the cab without her mother noticing.

"Nothing madam, just the two ladies saying their goodbyes." Kikuyo answered, covering for the two sisters.

"I see. Maho, I think it's time for you to head off, the train doesn't wait for anyone.

"Yes mother." Maho responded before turning towards Miho, taking her into another deep hug.

"Goodbye Miho."

"Please don't say Goodbye."

Maho looked at her sister, seeing that once again that she was distressed.

"Okay Miho." She then took her head from Miho's shoulder and looked her in the eyes with passionate eyes. "Till we meet again."

Miho didn't say anything to that, but a few seconds later, she pulled Maho back into a tight embrace before letting her go several moments later.

"Farewell Kikuyo." She acknowledged the family servant before turning towards her mother. "Farewell Mother."

"Farewell Maho." Her mother stated. While Kikuyo made her parting with a bow. "Farewell Mistress."

Maho then at last made her way into the cab of the old BMW Dixi cab as Kikuyo closed the door for her.

As the car made its way down the houses driveway, Maho rolled down the window to take one last look back seeing her family one last

time before the car made the turn onto the road. Seeing Miho and Kikuyo waving her off, and her mother looking on her with pride.

Miho, who finally realized that she never actually bided her sister farewell to her sister yelled out as loud as she could from the house steps. "Bye Maho!"

Maho happy to hear her sisters farewell returned right as the cab made the turn. "Bye Miho!"

After the cab made it's turn onto the road, she finally settled down in the cabs back seat and watched as the city passed by, the most notable sight being the tall bell tower of the Münster which towered over everything in the city center. She eventually grew tired of watching her surroundings as the minutes went by. She turned her attention to the bag that rested by her feet.

After picking it up, and placing it by her side, she opened it and took out the two framed pictures that she placed in it before she left her room.

The first one was a photo was a fairly recent one of her and Miho by the Bank of the Dreisam standing next to each other in their one piece swimsuits. The two of them always went to the river on the weekends because of the rivers close proximity to where they lived, some of her fondest memories were made on the banks of the river, and other than Miho and Kikuyo, that was probably one of the things that she would miss the most.

After looking at the photo, she took out the other one. This one was much older than the other one. This one also had more people in it.

Like the other one it had her and her sister, though in this one they must have been about five and eight years old. On the left, her mother stood with largely the same serious face she has today, though in the photo she looked much younger, and was wearing multiple Party badges and decoration on her black uniform. But her eyes were mainly drawn on another figure, standing in between her and Miho was a young looking man in the uniform of an officer before the Party took control, and with a massive smile on his face as they all face the camera. She flipped the photo around and saw on the back. 'Oktoberfest 1931'.

It was like a completely different world now from then. It was now February 2, 1942. And Germany under the absolute control of Hitler and the Nazi Party was in the middle of the worlds greatest conflict, ranging from the islands of the Pacific, to the deserts of North Africa, the coats of the frigid North Seas, and the frozen plains of Russia.

As she set the pictures aside, something else caught her eye in the bag. Reaching in she pulls out the black side cap that was issued to her along with the rest of the clothing. Picking it up, she looks at the signature skull and crossbones of the German Panzer forces. She put the cap on, and while doing so, she sets out a slight sigh of unhappiness.

"Well I guess this is who I am now."

* * *

I was actually planning to start a story like this for a while, and I actually found out about Girls und Panzer looking for characters for this story. Now that I am finally confident what I got, and had a little practice with the characters in the story I am finally ready to begin.

I made extra effort to try to keep the people in the story in character, but please tell me if there is some out of character elements though some parts since a real battle will be much different than a regular team match their will be some intentional OC moments.

Hope you all like it. Please read and review.

Translations/Important terms:

Schwarzwald Spitze : Black forest peak

Bund Deutscher Mädel : League of German Girls

Gauleiter: Party leader for a regional branch of the NSDAP

Historical Characters:

Robert Heinrich Wagner (13 October 1895 – 14 August 1946) - Gauleiter of Baden (25 March 1925 – May 1945)


	2. Defence of the Motherland

As the bright summer sun shone over the vast plains of the northern Caucasus, the people of a small farming village went through their daily routine of working in the fields that grew all around along the banks of the Volga river.

It was like was like any other day, until the rumbling of an engine could be heard approaching down the old dirt road. With the only vehicles left in military service, everyone knew what was going on and flocked to the village centre.

As they watched on, an American made Jeep drove into the village and stopped before the crowd. In the seats of the Jeep, several soldiers scanned the people with grim faces, there was an unsettling silence that loomed for a fairly long time until finally an officer sitting in the passenger seat stood up in front of the congregation around him.

"Comrades, the motherland requires men to fight for her."

"But we have already given almost all of our sons to the army, months ago." Exclaimed an old bearded man from the crowd.

"A new draft has been employed for this province, and this village is expected to supply eight men." The officer announced.

There was once dozens of young men who lived in the small village, but now with several previous drafts, less than a handful remain, the majority being the women, the young, and the old who did what they could for the war effort.

"All for the front! All for Victory! Your country! Your great nation calls upon you to take up arms against the fascist invaders that threaten it!"

He called out in a clear loud voice that rang through the village like a bell.

Following the officer making his speech, all of the villages remaining young men lined up partly out of patriotism, and partly out of fear hearing stories of what happens to deserters in the Red Army.

As the officer exited the vehicle the men all lined up in a straight row in attention, and as he inspected them one by one, he asked for their names.

"Alexander Alekseev" - The last son of the village magistrate

"Vladislav Nikitin" - Orphan from after his father was killed in Manchuria.

"Kimek Sokolov" - An avid reader, and one of the villages brightest minds.

"David Alexandrov"

"Denis Alexandrov" - Brothers, and the villages two main troublemakers in the pre war years.

"Victor Titov"

"Roman Titov" - Cousins, both born only weeks apart.

After inspecting the volunteers, the officer noticed something wrong.

"Where one short!"

"Thats all the men we have left sir." The old man exclaimed again.

"Well unfortunately the quota was set at eight, and where one short." The officer explained again.

The soldiers scanned through the crowd, they found two men near the back, but one was missing his right arm, and the other, still in his ragged military uniform, was lost his left leg and was standing on a crutch.

"What about him?" One of the other soldiers asked while pointing towards a boy.

"Please no! He's my only son, and he's only fifteen." The boy's father begged.

"He's the only young man left, so he'll have to do." The officer ordered.

"Please! Not my boy! Not my baby boy." The father continued.

"Look, the motherland is in need of soldiers to fight. If you don't get out of my way, I'll remove you myself." The officer warned. Pulling a revolver out of his holster.

"Please no!" He did not budge.

"How dare you, you filthy traitor!" The officer yelled in a fit of rage as he pointed the revolver at the mans head and cocked the hammer.

"I'll take his place!" A voice called from the crowd.

"Who said that!?" The officer ordered.

Out from the crowd came a beautiful young woman with long black hair, and blue eyes. Coming in front of the officer.

"I did." she answered "If I go, will you leave him to his family?"

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Nonna Pravda." She answered.

"Okay then." He answered placing his revolver back into its holster. "The trucks will arrive to transport you all for training tomorrow at noon. Which means you all have the night to say your goodbyes."

"No!" Yelled a young girl as she ran out of the crowd and into Nonna's arms.

"Please Nonna. Please don't leave." She Pleaded. Tears pouring out of her eyes.

Nonna tightened her grip around her, trying her best to comfort the young girl.

"I'm sorry Katyusha, I'm so sorry. But I can't just stand by and let someone be taken away from his family like that." She said.

"But what about me, you're all I have left?" Katyusha begged.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." Nonna then turned to the man who she just saved a few moments ago.

"Yackov. Can you please look after Katyusha for me while I'm gone?" She asked.

"Yes. And thank you Nonna, I'll take good care of her as one of my own." He answered while holding his son.

Nonna then turned back to Katyusha. "Please forgive me Katyusha."

"Nonna." She said wiping the tears from her eyes. "I forgive you."

Nonna then smiled lightly seeing her getting better. "Well, at least we have one last afternoon before I go."

She saw as the younger girl brighten up at hearing this. "Really!?"

"Yes. What do you want to do." She asked.

"Well there's the pasture we always use to go to." She explained.

"OK. Lets go to the field then." Nonna agreed as she kneeled. Just before the engine of the Jeep started up and headed down the road towards the next village.

Nonna then stood up to go, but was stopped by Katyusha.

"Nonna?"

"Yes Katyusha?" She asked as she kneeled back down in front of her.

"Can you give me a lift to the field like you use to?" She asked.

"Shure." She answered before kneeling completely down so that she could jump on.

As she stood up Katyusha was filled with excitement to the point where she seemed to have completely forgotten about the earlier incident.

"Yay, this is so awesome." "Now then, FORWARD!" She commanded as Nonna began to head off towards the pasture, and everyone else hustled to make preparations for the parting festivities for the leaving solders.

* * *

After several hours of playing in the fields by the village where the two always went in brighter days before the invasion, they headed back into the village, that was now in full life.

To see off the men... and woman, who were to head for the front. The entire village went to make a massive festival for them before their parting. There was little food, for since the Germans have captured the Ukraine: the nation's breadbasket, food was always scarce, even in a farming village. But what they lacked in food, they made up for in music and dance, with all of the older inhabitants bringing out musical instruments, and all of the young maidens of the village sang and danced with the young soldiers.

Nonna however only danced a little with Katyusha before she headed off to play with some of the other children of the village, and Nonna spent much of the rest of the night exchanging stories and jokes with the other enlisted men.

While everything seemed to be extremely mery on the outside, a sense of dread seems to have overtaken the whole village. Everyone heard stories from the front despite government attempts to control what came to the public knowledge. They heard of the harsh treatment done to POWs by their German captors, the mass execution of deserters, the brutal conditions that soldiers were put up against, and the heavy casualties inflicted on the field. Of the fifteen others that were sent to the front from the village: six were already known to be dead, five were missing in action, and three returned to the village, to badly maimed to be of any further use to the army, one dying later of his wounds. To everyone, this wasn't the triumphant waveoff of heros off to seek glory in the field of battle, it was a final farewell to the living dead.

* * *

Morning came, and all was quiet throughout the village, there was no more music, or dancing, or merry making of any kind. In each of the six families that were sending a loved one off we're simply saying their goodbyes, and simply taking comfort at being in each others company for one last time.

In one of the smallest huts in the village, Nonna tried to make as best as she could to comfort Katyusha for their impending parting. Playing with her and some of the stuffed toys she made for her out of straw and burlap every year for her birthday. And looked at the few photos that they have, some had just the two of them, some with friends; two in particular were more beloved to them then the rest, one including a young Nonna, but no Katyusha with a young man and woman, the other included both girls and the man now in an officer's uniform in the field they played in the previous day, but not the young woman that was in the other one. Nonna decided to take to take the one with the young woman, along with a fairly new one of her and Katyusha.

Finally, approaching the stroke of noon. Once again the sound of engines roared down the road. Now instead of just a single Jeep, a massive convoy of trucks escorted by multiple Jeeps with guards armed with machineguns.

As the convoy stopped in the center of town, the same officer stood up from his Jeep and called out the names one by one as the young men said farewell to their families one last time, and headed into a covered ZIS-6 that was still reasonable empty compared to the rest.

When all but one was called, it was finally Nonna's turn to take her place in the truck.

Upon hearing her name called, she let go of Katyusha for the last time and prepared to make her way to the truck, but Katyusha wasn't ready yet.

She clung onto the older girl, tears once again streaming out of her eyes.

"What's the holdup!" The officer ordered.

"It's just my little sister sir." Nonna answered.

"May I have a few seconds to say goodbye?" She asked.

"You have two minutes, we got a tight schedule to keep."

"Please Katyusha, I have to go." Nonna asked as she turned to her.

"Please! Please Nonna, don't leave me!" Katyusha pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I have to." She reassured as she wiped the tears from the younger girls eyes.

Katyusha lowered her head in shame, knowing that Nonna had to do this. And she couldn't get her sister back even if she tried. She tried her best to stop the tears from coming out, and put on the best smile that she could.

"Promise to write?" She asked.

"Yes I'll make sure I write regularly. " She answered as she smiled seeing her sister brighten up. "And don't forget to send a few letters yourself." She added in a joyful tone.

"I will!" Katyusha assured as she hugged her older sister one last time before leaving.

"Nonna! It's time." The officer stated.

"I have to go now." Nonna said to her sister.

"Be safe." Katyusha said.

"I will." She promised, before taking her place among her comrades in the covered truck.

As the convoy started up and started it's way down the road to the next village, all eight soldiers in the last truck in the line waved to their friends and family, having their waves returned by every single person from the village until they were out of sight.

Seeing the vast fields go by, and everything she has ever known become more and more distant. Nonna reflected back at her old life, which she knew would become nothing more than a distant memory, and thought back on what was said to awaiting her where she's going. For at that time in mid-summer 1942, over a million soldiers of Germany and its allies were pushing their way south towards the precious oil fields of Baku. And the Red Army took up to flight as it made it's way for one last desperate defense along the Volga River to the south. Among the once grand and beautiful city whose name will forever be remembered through time. A city known then as Stalingrad.

* * *

There we go, the second chapter. For now on until the battle itself, since Maho and Nonna will be in much different circumstances as being in opposite sides of the conflict, and training in different uniforms will not match up in chapter by chapter by time, but more by event.

If this chapter seemed a little too much like the last one, I'm sorry. But it was meant to explain both characters as people who didn't want to fight for flags, or highly renowned leaders of nations, but as people who had to fight for the people they cared about. While part of the story is meant to be for to the two main characters a little light in the spotlight by themselves, the other part is to give a face to many of the people who lived and died in those dark days, much like the seven other men who were drafted along with Nonna, though they were fictional characters as well, they are meant to give an insight, and a name for the people who fought in the ferocious hand to hand fighting that filled the city streets of Stalingrad, and other other cities like it that were ravaged in World War Two, and other wars like it, for the people who gave their lives for not only their nation, but for their friends and family as well.

I really want to get the story a little less serious, but for this part I think its for the best.

Please Read and Review.


	3. Days Gone By

With the German countryside passing by the passenger car window, Maho watched as the train she was traveling in speeded its way to her stop in the bustling and city of Munich.

After several hours, and a transfer in the station in Mannheim, she was on her way to her destination, and was finally able to relax a little from all of the hustle throughout the last few weeks.

As being in a fairly wealthy family, she was able to get her seat in the first class. The car itself was fairly empty, mainly just military officers and prestigious party member on official duty, and with the exception of several older veterans exchanging old war stories from the Great

War in the very back of the coach, it was reasonably quiet, allowing her to get some peace and quiet before the looming prospect of the hell that was awaiting her where she was going in one of Reich's many training facilities for its armed forces at war.

As time began to move by along the miles of rail, she began to reflect back on her past, mainly back to happier days long gone by.

Most likely due to the occasion her mind wandered to one memory much more than the others.

The first time she ever seen a tank, well at least that's what it was supposed to be.

* * *

As soldiers went about on their daily drills and duties, Maho, Miho, and their mother made their way through the bustle of the Munich barracks for the Weimar army.

"Mommy, are you sure were supposed to be here? Miho asked their mother as she held Maho's hand.

"Yeah mom, I don't think we're allowed here." Maho stated with doubt in their choice of entering the barracks premises.

"I don't think we're allowed here either. But

"I missed you too darlings." He responded while still holding them before turning his attention towards their mother.

"Odd place to meet up before the festivals." She said as she looked at him.

"Well since you were already in Munich I decided to at least show them where I work like normal fathers do." He replied. "And besides, army regulations here are so relaxed, that nobody would mind you dropping by. Actually most of the other tankers actually wanted to meet

Maho and Miaho after reading all of their letters they sent me."

Maho and her younger sister regularly sent letters to their father to keep in touch, and he would always find the time to read them and mail some of his own back on his off time in the barracks.

While their mom and dad was exchanging a few words, the two siblings began to look around close by until the vehicle that their father came out of caught Miho's eye.

"Wow! Daddy, is that a tank?" Miho asked. Ever since their father first mentioned his transfer to the armored corps several months back, both girls were fascinated with tanks, and always wanted to see one in real life.

Her father came by to where his daughter was standing.

"Not exactly." He answered while moving towards the vehicle, and kicks the sheet metal "armor" which easily bended to his foot . "You see, after the great war Germany wasn't allowed to have certain weapons, tanks being among them. But a lot of the army's leaders believe even though we aren't allowed to have these weapons, we should still be taught how to use them incase it is ever needed."

"I can see why the don't keep this place tightly guarded." Maho's Mother states, knotting the mocked armored vehicles, and wooden barreled artillery pieces.

"So they train you how to operate this equipment in case something happens like if another war breaks out, or if the ban is lifted?" Maho asks her father rather intelligently for her age.

"That's right." Her father answers. "Didn't I tell you guys, I told you she was smart." He said to his fellow tankers who got out of the vehicle after him.

"Are we ready to go now?" Their mother asks close behind.

"We are, I signed out at the CO's office just before you came." He answered before turning his attention back to Maho and her sister.

"Maho, Miho, you have no idea how much I love you, a man couldn't ask for more than you. And hey, I may not ever be able to command a real tank, but if you play your cards right, and if it's what you want, you might be able to do it one day." He says while placing it on her shoulder.

"You to Miho." He says to her younger sister, then takes the peaked cap off of his head and places it on hers.

"Thanks Dad." Miho replies.

"Yeah, thanks Dad." Maho also adds in.

"Okay!" He says while standing up to his full height. "Your mother starting to get antsy about going down to the fair, so lets blow this joint!"

"Yeah!" Miho yelled in joy before her father placed her on his shoulder, with her mother on one side, and Maho grasping his hand on the other, the family finally head out towards the barracks gate.

* * *

Maho woke up in her cabin seat. She apparently fell asleep for quite some time for now while she last remembered it being fairly early in the morning after a night time ride from Freiburg, it was now approaching noon.

Seeing that she was nearing her destination, she decided to try and get as much rest as she can before her stop, closing her eyes and placing her cap over them to block the light.

As she began to slip back to sleep, she thought back on those days before the Reich, the days when her family was whole, and their household was full of laughter, now full of nothing but sorrow.

Most of all, she thought of her sister who she swore to always protect. Though both became extremely fascinated with tanks and other military equipment because of their family, compared to other girls their age. She vowed that her sister would never so much as tough a tank so long as this war waged. She could not bear the even thought of something happening to her in a place as unforgiving as the frontlines of a war.

And even if she would have to give her own life to protect her from harm.

She would do it gladly.

* * *

There we go, if you didn't like this chapter, I'm sorry. But I really wanted to try to and add a little more of a background story for the two characters before they actually meet up. I decided that the best way to do this was to add flashbacks that would move forward as the story go by.

After some deliberation with myself, I decided that since they will be going to similar events at different times before the battle. That the best thing to do would be to switch between their point of views up to the point where they will be both in the city itself throughout the battle.

Thank you so much IcyBlaze4545, and Kimeck for the support you gave me, and the story.

The story IS going to contain a lot of extremely graphic description of the bloody fighting that took place in the streets and buildings of the city. And possibly some scenes of the atrocities committed by both sides during the war which will probably include one of the many mass murders executed by the Germans along the Eastern front, and Stalin's infamous Order No.277 which came with the slogan "Not a step back!" So this stories probably not going to be appealing for the squeamish at heart.

About the... "experimenting" part in your review. Hehehe. The option is still open, I neither decided to have it, or to avoid it at all costs, but the M rating does give me a lot of wiggle room on the matter. One of the main reasons I chose these two characters, other than there my two favorite characters in the series, especially Maho because I like the Byronic Hero type character. Was so that I could have freedom the subject, a guy and a girl would really force me to make it a romance, and two guys would probably just shoot each other as any two soldiers at war would basically ruining the whole story.

I myself prefer happy endings, but any guarantees, and I am planning on introducing other characters from both Girls und Panzer and possibly other shows as well, but many of them will die.

The written language in America is dead.


	4. Into the Red Army

In the flat plains, and fertile farmland of the Russian steppe, along a dirt road that seemed to go on into oblivion the trucks still went on.

After leaving the one place she has ever truly know, the convoy continued on mile after mile, and stopped at more villages than she could even count.

Every time she noticed the same event: Mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles, grandparents, children, siblings and friends, all parting with their family and loved ones with an embracing hug, and waving them off with a tear in their eye.

Hour, after hour it went on like this into the night.

It was early in the morning now, but there was no sleep to be had on that ride. Every truck was filled so tight that you could barely breathe, let alone sit down. And men was sweating due to the body heat that was trapped by the canvas covering that was there to protect the occupants from the outside, and to prevent desertion with the only exit under armed guard.

Nonna was packed into the very front of the bed of the truck, and could only tell the time by the early morning gleam that shown from the opening in the back.

Everyone was tired and thirsty. Other than to pick up more conscious, there were no stops. There was a communal bedpan for everyone inside, but now it was only making the conditions inside the truck even more unbearable.

She, and everyone else in there didn't know how much further they needed to go, or how much they could take.

With the sun started to rise however, the convoy finally stopped, and everyone was ordered out.

As she came out, she found herself in the middle of a sea of tents.

Shortly after all of the new conscripts were called into order. With several senior officers looking them over. By Nonna's guess there was probably at least four hundred men from her convoy alone.

After several minutes of uneasy silence, one of the officers stepped forward from the rest in front of the men.

"Greetings Comrades! And welcome to the 13th Guards Rifle Division. You have been called upon to fight off the invaders of our glorious Motherland. The fighting will be hard, and many of you will not survive, but the sacrifice you make on the field will help ensure that our nation will never fall under Nazi tyranny." The officer said standing proud before walking in front of the lined up troops.

"This division will stand for any acts of weakness. Any cowards, deserters, and traitors will be shot. You will be expected to remember comrade Stalin's orders and not give a single inch to the invaders while you still live..."

As he continues his introductory speech for the men, talking about loyalty, comradeship, and sacrifice, the men slowly became tired, the long ride through the night without chance of rest in the cramped settings of the overfilled and poorly maintained vehicles took its tole on them.

"You will be given rest and food, until noon. But first you'll have be issued with uniforms for your training and deployment." The officer announced to the men.

Nonna after hearing the announcement moved along with the rest of the men as they were led to a large tent containing several crates.

She was still wearing her normal garb of a long skirt, and a plain loose blouse. She got into the tent, being issued a pair of boots along with a light brown tunic, side cap, and trousers before heading to the resting area along with the rest of the men from her village.

"Hey, It's Nonna!" Said Alexander to the others as she approached where they were sitting.

"Hey guys." She greeted as she sat down with them, who returned it warmly.

Nonna was never much of a feminine woman. She played outside since childhood , and she would regularly do some of the most tedious tasks in the fields, including maintaining large pieces of farming equipment .

She was always a close friend with many of the men her age in the village, she would do many of the same things they would do on their free time, such as swim, spar, and hike. Several men even went to her for romantic advice, many of them developing a crush on her as well, though none of them ever had the courage to approach her on the matter.

"So anything I missed?" She asked her friends.

"Not much, other than that we were told to pick someone to be our squad leader." David Explained.

"So, who'd you pick?" She asked, eyeing over her seven comrades to try and guess for herself.

"We sort of... chose to ask you if you want to be it." He told her with the rest of the men giving a nod of their approval.

"Wait, what?" She questioned, completely taken off guard by what they said.

"We all want you to lead our group." David stated, being very direct on the topic.

"I don't think I'm the one who should lead you guys." Nonna declined.

"Why not?" Asked Alexander.

"Because I'm just qualified for the position. Like you Alexander, you're the son of the magistrates, you should know everything about leadership. And Kimek, your one of the smartest people I know." She said, though not wanting to just simply place the burden on someone else.

"But neither of us had ever had anything close to military experience." Kimek explained.

"That's right! Nonna your father was a War Hero since the Revolution, no one else has anything close to an idea on what to do to you." Stated Vladislav, ever since his childhood was always told stories on the heroic deeds executed by Nonna's father by his own whenever he asked him about the days of the Russian Civil War.

"And there is no one in the village as loyal and willing to help others as you Nonna. You could have simply Yackov's son be taken instead, but you volunteered to take his place." Alexander continued.

"But I couldn't have simply stood by and let that happen." Nonna returned.

"Yes, and that's why we want you, there is no one that any of us would rather follow than you."

"Plus having a female corporal as our squad leader would allow us to get some favors." Added Kimek who got a very cold stare in return from Nonna.

Kimek might have been one of the smartest people in the group, he was also the most perverted.

After getting her mind off of Kimeks little remark, Nonna finally made her decision.

"OK, I'll take the post, but only because you forced me to."

* * *

After some time of the group talking, and a small amount of Rye, Nonna began to reflect about what the others said about her as she layed down on a soft patch of grass.

The primary remark on her mind being the one being about her father.

Though he never really liked to talk about the subject, what she was told from the other men in the village who served with him said he was

in the army since the Great War where he fought in the trenches of the eastern front where he became acquainted with other members of the Bolshevik Party. He eventually joined the Red Army in the beginning of the Revolution, and always volunteered for the hottest areas of fighting throughout the Civil War. He later became among one of the very first tank commanders in the Soviet Union as the army went through it's first stages of modernization.

Throughout her entire life, he always was away from home, he never wanted to bring his family with him for he was always stationed at the most hazardous frontiers, and he would had never wanted to put his loved ones in harms way.

She would always remember waiting at the edge of the village with Katyusha when he promised he'd come back on leave.

* * *

"Do you see him yet?" Katyusha asked while looking at her sister.

"Not yet." Nonna replied as she looked towards the dirt road that seemed to head off for eternity, then turning towards her little sister.

"Don't worry, he'll come."

Just as she said that, a small speck came over the horizon on the road accompanied with the sound of an engine.

"Is it him?!" Katyusha asked as the vehicle drew near.

Nonna looked again at the approaching object before turning back to her. "I believe so, no one else ever drives down that road in a car like that."

Several minutes later a black GAZ M1 entered the village and stopped, with a nicely dressed officer stepping out carrying a large bag over his shoulder.

The two girls greeted their father as he came over towards them by the hut that they live in, running out to him and hugging him who returned it the best he could while lugging the heavy load on his back.

"We missed you so much." Katusha said while still hugging her as tight as she could, almost as if she thought she would lose him if she let go.

"I missed you too." He admitted to them as he held them with his one free hand.

After several moments of the three just taking comfort in each others embrace. The two girl's father finally let go and looked to the two young girls. "OK, lets go inside." Which both sister agreeing to happily and followed their father as he went into the small hut.

"Katyusha, what has Nonna been feeding you, If you keep it up you'll be picking me up next time!" He said as he picked up his youngest daughter, while Nonna looked over the two happily after they finished a meal of bread, jam, and tea.

As the two played Nonna decided to take her dad's bag to his room. She was always sort of a mother to Katyusha more than a sister, always taking care of her and the household since she was able to take care of herself.

She tried to pick it up, but found that she was unable to. "Dad what on earth did you pack in this thing?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. I got some gifts for you two." He said as he picked up the bag.

"Really, what is it?!" Yelled Katyusha, curious as to what it was.

Her father opened the bag, and placed his hand inside. "Well since my unit had some extra equipment, I was able to get a hold on some of the stuff that was never used."

He first pulled out his gift for Katyusha: A black leather tank mens helmet.

"Oh thank you daddy!" She said as he gave her the helmet and put it on for her.

"You look great Katyusha!" He complimented her before going back into the bag for one more thing. After several minutes of shifting through his bag, he at last found what he was looking for. "Ah, here it is."

Nonna leaned closer towards the bag curious as to what it was. With her father showing her what it was, a small red song book.

"Nonna, I know how much you loved to sing before, so I found this in some old crates read for disposal and knew that you would love this."

"I do dad, thank you." Nonna responded as she hugged her father.

"I do expect to hear some of it when I come back next time, but in the meantime we should go out and do some stuff together before I have to go back."

"Let's go!" Katyusha yelled in excitement as they left the hut to go around the rest of the village.

* * *

That was almost ten years ago, she use to be the very best singer in the entire village, but times had changed, and she now never had any

reason to sing like before.

After several hours of resting the officers were now coming around and rousing the men up, and as she looked forward to what laid ahead for her, she also couldn't help but think back to those golden days of her childhood, and hope for the better that has yet to come after this age of sorrow and loss shared by everyone of not just this country, but of the whole world as well.

* * *

Well I hope you like how this is going so far, and for those of you who can't wait for the violence and gore that is to come, it is only at most a few chapters away.

For those of you who wanted a romance, since I had two people say they wanted it, and none that said they don't, I'm going to assume you all want it, and it will come later as well.

Kimek, if you haven't noticed yet I'm sort of using you as a supporting character now since I was I need of some Russian names, and I had to add the little perversion joke because of our last review, hope you don't mind, and if you do I could always simply kill you off in Nonna's next chapter.

Thank You, Please Read and Review.


	5. The Wehrmacht

With the train speeding towards its destination, Maho after several hours awakened at last with only several minutes left until the train was to reach the station.

Looking out the window, the fields of grass and crops continued to fly by, she decided to simply enjoy the view of the countryside until the end of the line under the high ceilings of stone, glass, and steel of Munich's Central Station.

She was among the last to leave the platform, having helped several of the older officers recover their baggage, along with having to ask directions from one of the staff for the meet up point with the recruitment transportation. As Maho walked through the massive station, wherever she looked, she saw loving families, and groups of friends as they made their way to unknown destinations. She cherished the memories of the days when she had loving friends and family, but now that was all they were... memories. Apart from Miho and Kikuyo, she had no one left.

Reaching the platform that she was informed to reach, she joined a large group of men wearing the same black uniform as her in a line to report to several officers on a small desk.

As she waited, she was not surprised to notice several of the others in line starting to look at her. There were no other girls in the group, and as far as she knew, the entire Wehrmacht probably didn't have that many others in it as well. Before she actually got to the point of bashing one of the men over the head with her pistol grip, she got to the front of the line at the desk. Finding herself packed into one of several trucks being loaded.

* * *

With the last of the new recruits signing in, Maho along with the rest of the men found themselves ordered into several waiting trucks as they left the station. Maho ended up at the very back of the truck looking out as they moved out of the bustling city to the open countryside.

She was always an outdoor person, always playing with her sister either by the river, or deep in the woods. The exhilaration of being in the wild was always in her blood. As a result of that, she never liked letting her hair grow out too much so it could get caught on something as she went through the foliage of the forest. And the other girls always thought of her as weird, and wouldn't really like having her around.

Her attention shifted immediately as they neared their destination, a massive camp that loomed to her right, lined with high fences and armed guards.

As the trucks made their turn into the main entrance under the watch of heavy armed guard, they continued into the camp. The inside was filled with wooden barracks, and massive formations of soldiers in exercise drills, and multiple Panzer 1s and 2s out on maneuvers.

From the days of her fathers tin armored car, and wooden barreled guns in the Weimar army, Germany's war machine has risen large enough to wage war against half the world, fairly well.

When the trucks stopped, several officers ordered everyone out, and into order. After several tense minutes, an officer came out in front of the recruits. Taking role call from each man in line, his stern expression didn't change until he came up to Maho.

"I noticed that the new recruits were getting younger, but I never knew that there is that little manpower left available." He exclaimed.

She doesn't say a word in response. Prompting the officer to change his focus on the whole unit.

"Now then." He addresses "From this moment on, every single one of you are now official soldiers of the Wehrmacht. And as such, you are expected to maintain the utmost in military discipline at all times. Most of you will find yourselves one day in the battlefield. Whether it be the deserts of Egypt, the streets of London, or the icy tundras of the Soviet Union, what you learn here will mean the difference between life and death for you, and your comrades. Do you all get me!?"

"We get you sir!" The whole unit answered in unison.

"Good. Everyone is to be assigned a bunk in the barracks. There will be no breaks though, as all of you will be called for basic training at O twelve hundred hours. Dismissed!"

Maho bent down to pick up her heavy bag as the rest of unit scattered in the direction of the nearest barracks building, and followed suit.

As she entered the small barracks, she found herself in a main discussion room practical filled to its limit with the other men as they were becoming acquainted with each other. She was able to discreetly get around the horde of people in the room with getting noticed. Letting a long sigh as she closed the door to her assigned bunk room behind her. She almost immediately made her way to the uppermost bunk in the far corner, the one that would have the least traffic going past it.

Being the center of attention of a group of young men, all stealing not so stealthy glimpses at her direction every once in awhile was getting really annoying. She actually didn't like it back home when others avoided her, along with her younger sister out of fear of their mother.

* * *

Maho was sitting in her room after a long day of school. In her senior year it was getting extremely stressful now.

She was working through the large pile of assignments that stood on her small desk, but was brought out of her concentration by the sound of loud footsteps approaching her room.

"Maho!" Miho ran into her room with tears flowing down her eyes.

"What is it Miho." She asked as she saw that she was greatly distressed.

Miho wrapped her arms her older sister, letting her tears flow freely.

"My friends, they said...they said that they didn't to be with me anymore, because of what mom does, and everyone at school avoids me outside of class..." She stuttered as she cried.

"I'm so sorry Miho." Maho said as she tried to comfort her by holding her tightly, her sisters tears soaking her shirt.

"Is Mom a bad person?" She asked while looking at her older sister.

"No!" She answered almost shouting at her sisters face, before calming her voice down as she continued. "Mother might seem cold and mean, but she still loves you. And what she does may appear wrong at times; but everything she does, she does not for just both of us, but for all of Germany."

"I never felt so alone." Miho said as she put her head into her older sisters shoulder.

"Its okay Miho, I'm here for you." She said as she continued to hug her younger sister.

"I promise, I won't ever leave you Miho."

* * *

As she setted up her bunk, she came upon the two pictures that she had with her and her sister and the stuffed bear. She couldn't keep her promise, she couldn't be there for her when she needed her most. She couldn't be there to play with her, now that no one else would. When she when she felt down, she wouldn't be able to comfort her as she always had before. When she felt truly alone, she would be too far away to be at her side.

'I'm sorry Miho.'

* * *

Sorry for the long wait, when I started I found that the closest Wehrmacht facilities was in Munich, but that was for Infantry Officers, and with half of Maho's part in the story being on her way to Munich, I had to find a way to solve this problem. Since Munich had one of the main hubs for the German Reich Railway, that was my best bet of getting out.

This chapter was really rushed, but I really needed a goo bridge chapter before we move on in the story. Though Maho is my more favorite character of the two, I can never seem to write about her as well as I can as with Nonna, I'm going to assume it's mostly because either Nonna is a much less explained character allowing me to have a little more freedom in writing about. I'm probably going to reedit this chapter soon, an add something which I think it's missing, probably at the ending.

Now comes the fun part of the story. The two girls, fresh from training. Will find themselves in the middle of the greatest slaughter of the Second World War...unless you want some chapters about their training into soldiers, which I would do if you want me to.

I probably won't, because I'm in the mood for some action already, then I can always make more flashbacks if you want.

Kimeck, thanks for the Russian names you sent me, I'll use them in the future as I'll need a lot more people when they reach the city, including several more characters from the anime, primarily German, and Russian based characters.

And Nuker, Thanks for your input. I know that my spelling and grammar is not the best, but I try my best with what I have. While I will be making a whole ton of OCs I'm going to keep them mainly as distant supporting roles, and Keep Maho and Nonna as the lead characters, but I'm not going to go in full detail of what is going to happen, for honestly, I don't know.

As always, Please Read and Review.


	6. On the road to Stalingrad

_Dear Miho._

_It has been nearly eight months since we parted, and now it seems like it will be many more till we can finally see each other once more. Russia is nothing like home in any way. It is flat and bare, without a tree or hill as far as the eye can see. _

_Other than that, I say I am doing well. Most of the men in my unit are reasonably well. Some have an odd sense of humor, and not everyone has as much enthusiasm for hygiene as you might be use to. But I have been able to fit in as well as I can. I truly hope you're ok without me, and that..._

"Commander?"

"Yes?" Maho asked as she diverted her attention from her letter to one of her comrades.

"Do you know how much further it is till we reach the rest of the division, Sir?"

Reaching into her trouser pocket, Maho pulled out a map covering the campaign area. Overlooking it for a good idea of their location.

"Seeing that we passed several villages here on the map, I say it will be at least several more hours." She answered before placing it back into her pocket.

"Yeah, this country seems to just keep going on forever." The gunner said while looking out through the gun sight.

"They say that this will all be part of the Reich after the war." Another added in, just as the tank they were in was rocked by a massive rock on the road. "The possibilities will be endless for any man in the army then."

"What are you going to do after the war Karl?" The gunner asked him after his statement.

"Well I was thinking of settling in here, and start a huge farm for myself." Karl answered "You Markus?" He questioned him back.

"I'll probably help my father with his butcher shop back home in Leipzig." He answered him comrade in the loaders seat.

"Ok. You Hayden?" He asked the driver.

"I guess I'll go into the trucking business, if what you say is true, then the Reich is going to be in need for a lot of drivers."

"I say that fits you. What about you Muller?" Karl asked the first man who was unoccupied in his spot at the radio.

"I guess go back home in Bavaria, I got a girl waiting for me."

"Well I guess she is one lucky gal." Karl complemented. "Speaking of gals, what are you going to do Lieutenant?"

"Yeah, what do you want to do after the war Commander?" Muller asked, with all of the rest of the crew turning to her in curiosity.

For Maho, her intended role was determined even before she was born. Replace her mother as head of her school after she retires. Then probably get engaged by her to a complete jerk, have children, and train one of them to do the same.

"That's none of your business soldier." She responds harshly.

The inside of the tank grew to an ere silence after her answer to their question for well over half an hour, until the radio finally broke it.

"Lieutenant, the lead scouting unit has reported several fuel trucks ahead."

It has been well over a hundred kilometers since their last refueling, and the whole convoy was starting to become extremely concerned with their fuel gages coming into the red. The awaiting fuel was greatly needed good news that the crew needed to get out of the uneasy mood they were in.

"Proceed with the rest of the convoy for refueling."

"Yes Sir."

* * *

The refueling depot was absolutely bustling, with a limited amount of fuel that was catching up with the axis's rapid advance. A massive collection of vehicles of the German army and its allies huddled together in a mass of confusion in an effort to gain what little fuel they could. Though the Panzers of Paulus 6th army were always the highest priority in their race to cut off the Volga.

While the rest of the crew were moving throughout the depot for any fuel they could find, Maho was sitting on the turret of her panzer 3, using her binoculars to scan the terrain for any enemy movements. Though they were well almost a hundred miles behind friendly lines, and completely surrounded by armed patrols guarding the depot, you could never be too safe.

"Hello!"

Maho in response removed the binoculars from her eyes, and leaped down to the ground to see two soldiers in Italian Blackshirt uniforms.

While she did meet many foreigners on her travels since leaving the academy, and before the war, the one odd thing about them was, that other than herself, these were the first two female soldiers she has ever seen.

"Hello." She returned in her normal tone.

"I thought I heard something about another female tank commander in line! 2nd lieutenant Anchovy and Sergeant Major Carpaccio, Italian 3rd Cavalry Division." Anchovy declared as they both saluted her.

"2nd Lieutenant Maho Westernkrieger, 16th Panzer division." She stated as she returned the gesture.

"Do you have a few minutes off, lieutenant?" Anchovy asked.

"I think I have a few minutes to chat." Maho answered, not having anything else to attend to at the moment.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but it's just been such a long time since we have come across another woman, since we first left Italy. For a while, I thought we were the only two female soldiers in the whole eastern front." Anchovy continued.

"I was starting to get the same impression."

"We were actually supposed to report at the front two days ago, but the fuel shortages are outrageous."

"We have been literally driving blind on empty tanks for the last few days ourselves." Maho said while shaking her head, and crossing her arms on her chest.

Anchovy laughed at Maho's statement. "At this rate, it'll be over before we even get there."

Just then, a third Italian soldier in an old worn uniform walked up the two.

"Duce, the L3 is fueled, and ready to go." He said, motioning towards the small obsolete tank awaiting them.

"It looks like it's my time to head out." Anchovy stated as she walked off.

"Good luck lieutenant." Wished Carpaccio as she soon followed suit.

Maho just stood there, watching as the Italians made their way through the confusing mass of vehicles, and people to their own unit.

Moments later, Karl and Muller returned with as much fuel as they could find, over hearing a little of the conversation that just transpired.

"Lieutenant. We couldn't find much, but it's enough to reach our destination, Hayden and Markus are close behind." Muller reported.

"Who were those two?" Asked Muller as he watched the two Italian soldiers make broad their tank.

"Just a couple of Blackshirts that came over to discus the campaign's logistics problems." Maho answered, while looking through a clipboard that Muller handed to her from the CO.

"They seemed nice, though I heard those Blackshirts are almost as bad as the SS." Karl bursts out to his two comrades.

In response, Maho simply tilted her clipboard coldly staring down her rather troublesome subordinate. "Get the tank fueled up, we don't want to get left behind by the others."

"Yes Sir!" He answered just as their other two crewmates arrived, with the remainder of the supplies needed.

As the rest of the crew conducted maintenance tasks around the tank, Maho sat once again on the turret, looking through the paperwork handed to her. It mainly comprised of the normal formalities as a tank commander, basic area maps, mission debriefing forms, supply forms on her units provisions both acquired and stored, and basic info on activists on the front ahead.

As she reached into her pocket for her pen, to start the task of filling out many of the forms that were to be handed back to the unit CO, she felt a fairly out of place item. Pulling it out, she discovered by a slight degree of surprise the letter that she was never able to finish earlier. Without so much as looking at it, she tucked it back into her pocket, making a mental note to finish it later as the tank once again started on the seemingly endless road along the great Russian plane.

* * *

"Ah. Finally food!" Victor cheered happily as he, and the rest of his squad limped their way from the field kitchens, after yet another grueling training drill.

"Really? Food is all you can think about right now, huh?" Asked Roman in a slightly annoyed manner.

"What, I'm hungry." His cousin replied defensively.

"Victor, for the love of god! Just..."

"Roman! You should really stop being so hostile to your cousin. It's getting on everyone's nerves." Alexander told Roman with a stern face. Since the creation of their unit, Alexander's natural leadership skills really started to shine, becoming the unofficial co-commander of the unit.

"I'm sorry, it's just that..."

"I know, everything has been very stressful lately. But you are not the only one like that here. And if we can't learn to work together like back home, it'll just be that much more likely we will never see home again." Alexander continued on Nonnas behalf.

Nonna usually was the one that broke up the arguments between them. But today's drill was particularly rigorous, having to help Vladislav along due to a hurt ankle, while she was nearly out of breath herself.

After several minutes, she finally met up with the rest of the unit.

"Nonna your back! How's Vlad?" Knimek asked as she sat down onto the grass, with a small handful of hard bread, and a bowl of undercooked cabbage soup.

"Denis took a look at him before we left, and said it was only sprained." She replied.

"Hey you guys!" Greeted Dennis, as he came into the group as well.

"Hey Dennis, how is the medical training doing?" Asked Kimek between bites.

"I get to use new medical equipment, and I get excused from most of the drill exercises, so I guess it fairly well." He answered.

"That sounds great, today we had to lug these 30kg logs on our shoulders." Said Kimek, while rotating his shoulder to ease the pain.

Dennis then turned his attention to the food on his lap, raising the board towards him. "I see we're getting cabbage again." He said.

"Yeah, it's not the best, but I heard it's pure luxury compared to what we're going to get on the front lines...if anything." Stated his brother from across their improvised circle on the ground.

After the units little conversation as they ate, her attention turned to the letter she received earlier in the day. Opening it up neatly, she slipped the paper out and unfolded it.

"What's that?" Asked Alex, curious about what Nonna brought out.

"Just a letter from Katushka, I never got the chance to read till now."

"Can we hear you read it? I miss your little sister."

"Shure." Nonna answered, as she began to read the letter.

"_Dear Nonna_

_Katyusha misses you very much. Everyone has become very unhappy here at the village. Yackov has been taking very good care of Katyusha since you have left, and Katyusha has also become close friends with his son, and the girl Nina from next door as well. Hope to see you soon. _

_Love: Katyusha."_

As Nonna read the letter, everyone in the the group, including herself grew homesick, with the looming dread that none of them would ever be able to go home again.

"Well… it looks like your sisters in for it now." Davis said turning to Vlad, knowing first hand how Katuska can be a little rough sometimes when playing. Gaining a few chuckles from the others.

"Yeah, Katyusha sometimes makes me out of breath. I can't wait to hear from my sister how she doing now." He responds still laughing slightly.

"At least their not entirely lonely now." Nonna said sadly, knowing that she is her only family left.

Everyone else in the group fell into silence after that, deciding to simply eat their meal in silence, before the next drill.

"Everybody get the camp center now! Move it comrades!" Several Officers yelled out, calling the troops to order throughout the camp.

"What's going on?" Nonna asked, as another squad leader was passing her.

"I don't know, but all of the officers are calling everyone into line."

Every soldier of the division, from the senior officers, down to the newest recruits, were put into formation at the very centre of camp.

Before them, on a hastily erected stand, stood General Alexander Rodimtsev, a veteran of the Spanish war, and the commander of the division. Standing tall, and proud before his men, he gave his message.

"Soldiers of the 13th guards rifle division! Today, with the German 6th army entering the city of Stalingrad, the Soviet Supreme General Staff has given us the direct order to move forward, to prevent them from reaching the Volga. I understand that many of you have yet to become properly trained and equipped, but now the very fate of our country, and everyone that lives in rests in our hands. Goodluck Comrades!"

With the division still in the midst of resupply, and reinforcement from the bloody struggle over Kharkov four months prior, over half of it's soldiers were ill equipped and ill trained for any form of engagement, let alone a major battle against battle hardened german soldiers. Of everyone among Nonna's unit, everyone has been forced to wear the same uniform since they first entered the camp several weeks ago, and not one has so much as held a rifle, let alone learn how to use one.

As General Rodimtsev continued his speech, the feeling of dread and fear began to take hold over fresh recruits, and veterans alike throughout the whole division. Everyone was expecting to meet the enemy eventually, but not in such a short time, with such a short notice. With the haste in which Stavka gave its order, the 13th guard division had absolutely no form of transportation available, and found itself in a forced march for mile after mile towards the Volga, and the awaiting German 6th army.

* * *

I'm sorry if this chapter was a little short, but in trying to keep as many details straight as possible, I sort of ran out of time, I'll explain later.

While I did promise action last chapter, my research showed that the manner in which both characters would have made it to the city would have a monumental effect on the battle itself. And if you don't like any of the original characters, just let me know so I can kill them off early.

Anchovy and Carpaccio was a last minute addition, just as the seven others from Nonna's village, and the four other members of Maho's tank crew, are meant to add a face to some of the soldiers that fought in the battle of Stalingrad, in this case the over 600,000 Italian,

Romanian, and Hungarian soldiers who though alongside their German allies despite being ill equipped, and ill prepared.

Regarding the review about Maho having an non-German name, I gave her a German last one, It might be the best one ever, but I think It suits her well.

And the other point of asking if this is a alternate reality, this is supposed to be as historically accurate as possible, (with the exception of the female axis soldiers). So there's no school ships, of Senshado in this world.

I'll just like to give a thank you to night_sentinel along with several other writers that have helped me on several different sites, along with

you, and the other readers of this story, on this, the 61st anniversary of the battle of Stalingrad.

Translations:

Westernkrieger: Western Warrior

Historical Terms:

Stavka: Soviet Supreme General Staff

Historical Characters:

Alexander Rodimtsev: Commander of the 13th guard division 1941-1943

Friedrich Paulus: Commander of German 6th army January 1942-February 1943

Please Read and Review

I'll be starting my first semester of college in three days, so I won't know when the next upload will be, sorry.


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